Clarkston is a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in
Asotin County, Washington
Asotin County () is a County (United States), county in the far southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 22,285. The county seat is at Asotin, ...
, United States. It is part of the
Lewiston, ID-WA metropolitan area, and is located west of
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city and the county seat of Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States, in the state's North Central Idaho, north central region. It is the third-largest city in the Idaho Panhandle, northern Idaho region, behind Post Falls, Idaho, Pos ...
, across the
Snake River
The Snake River is a major river in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. About long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Begin ...
.
The population of Clarkston was 7,161 at the
2020 census.
/ref> Clarkston's ZIP code, 99403, is the highest numerically in the contiguous United States
The contiguous United States, also known as the U.S. mainland, officially referred to as the conterminous United States, consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the District of Columbia of the United States in central North America. The te ...
.
History
Clarkston was first settled in 1862 by Robert Bracken, and was officially incorporated on August 14, 1902. Before becoming an official town, the area was known by various names, including Jawbone Flats, Lewiston, and Concord (after Concord, Massachusetts
Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is n ...
).
The name Clarkston is a reference to William Clark
William Clark (August 1, 1770 – September 1, 1838) was an American explorer, soldier, Indian agent, and territorial governor. A native of Virginia, he grew up in pre-statehood Kentucky before later settling in what became the state of Misso ...
, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...
fame. Directly east across the Snake River is Lewiston, named for Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with ...
and the larger and older of the two cities. The expedition passed westbound through the area by canoe in 1805
After thirteen years the First French Empire abolished the French Republican Calendar in favour of the Gregorian calendar.
Events
January–March
* January 11 – The Michigan Territory is created.
* February 7 – King Anouvong become ...
on October 10; neither Lewis nor Clark ever visited the Clarkston side of the river. Eastbound, they returned to the area in early May 1806
Events
January–March
*January 1
** The French Republican Calendar is abolished.
** The Kingdom of Bavaria is established by Napoleon.
*January 5 – The body of British naval leader Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, lies in state ...
.
Geography
Clarkston is in the Lewis-Clark Valley, at the confluence of the Snake
Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...
and Clearwater rivers. Immediately across the Snake River from Clarkston is the city of Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city and the county seat of Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States, in the state's North Central Idaho, north central region. It is the third-largest city in the Idaho Panhandle, northern Idaho region, behind Post Falls, Idaho, Pos ...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
This region experiences hot and dry summers, with average monthly temperatures in the upper-80s to mid-90s, but some days reach . The official record high of was set in August 2018. The unofficial record high, set in June 2021, was 122.9 degrees Fahrenheit (50.5 degrees Celsius).
According to the Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Clarkston has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 7,229 people, 3,226 households, and 1,744 families living in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 3,411 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.1% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.7% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 2.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.2% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population.
There were 3,226 households, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.1% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.9% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.88.
The median age in the city was 37.7 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 16.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 7,337 people, 3,120 households, and 1,790 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,414 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.43% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.34% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.61% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.79% from other races, and 2.15% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.56% of the population.
There were 3,120 households, out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.6% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 25.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,907, and the median income for a family was $32,093. Males had a median income of $31,434 versus $20,654 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $14,673. About 15.5% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Port
The Port of Clarkston is home to one of the largest cranes on a navigable waterway east of Portland. Agriculture is a major industry in the area and the port handles a lot of barge traffic carrying grains. The paper company Clearwater Paper Corporation transports wood chips and sawdust via barges for use at a Lewiston manufacturing plant. Due to its inland location on the Snake River
The Snake River is a major river in the interior Pacific Northwest region of the United States. About long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Begin ...
, the port handles goods headed out to Portland-Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
, and inland to distributors upstream.
The port's marina has accommodations for personal boats and yachts, many of which travel through the nearby Hells Canyon.
Education
K–12
There are four public elementary schools in Clarkston: Parkway Elementary School, Grantham Elementary School, Heights Elementary School, and Highland Elementary School, which serve grades K–6. In addition, there is one middle school, Lincoln Middle School, which serves grades 7–8.
Clarkston also has one four-year high school for grades 9–12, Charles Francis Adams High School. The school has a population of 800–850 students, with over 100 staff members. It has a library, a football field, a performing arts stage, and a tennis court.
Clarkston is also home to Holy Family Catholic School, serving grades K–8.
Higher education
Opportunities for higher education within city limits are limited. Walla Walla Community College (est. 1967) includes a branch campus in Clarkston that serves the area.
Notable people
* Joel Dahmen, professional golfer
References
External links
City website
History of Clarkston
at HistoryLink
HistoryLink is an online encyclopedia of Washington (state), Washington state history. The site has more than 8,100 entries and attracts 23,000 weekly visitors. It has 500 biographies and more than 14,000 images.
The non-profit historical organi ...
{{Authority control
Cities in Asotin County, Washington
Cities in Washington (state)
Lewiston–Clarkston metropolitan area
1862 establishments in Washington Territory